Forensic Blogs

An aggregator for digital forensics blogs

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Women In Tech Q&A with Emily Crawford

Our next Women’s History Month worker spotlight is Emily Crawford! Crawford is a second-year Computer Networking and Cybersecurity major, with a minor in Digital Forensics. She is currently working on the Social Media Footprint Awareness team. In the past, she was worked on the VPN comparison, IOT intrusion, and Network Scanning teams at the Leahy Center

What made you choose to major within the information technology field?

When I was a freshman in high school a guest speaker worked in the cybersecurity field. He told of his experience how these different tools worked, and I was extremely interested and I knew I wanted to go into cybersecurity.

What was your first experience with technology?

My first experience with technology was when I was a three-year-old toddler, and I proclaimed to my mother how I wanted a computer for Christmas.

Are there any females in tech that you look up to?

My first computer science teachers in high school were both women, and they made me feel welcome as a woman in tech and encouraged me to pursue a career in tech.

What are the pros and cons of being a woman in tech?

The pros of women in technology are that the community I am a part of with other women in technology is amazing, and I have met so many women in technology who were all so talented and nice. A con of being a woman in technology is that I often feel I don’t belong and I need to prove my worth.

What advice would you give to younger women who are interested in getting into the tech field?

My advice for younger women would be to not be afraid to start getting involved in tech whether it be in clubs or after-school programs. Also to know that you are not alone and there many other fantastic women in technology

Is it daunting to be working in a male-dominated field?

Sometimes especially when I’m new and don’t know anyone else, it can be daunting and sometimes I feel I need to prove my place as a woman. Although this feeling usually fades the better I get to know my team.

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The post Women In Tech Q&A with Emily Crawford appeared first on The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity.

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Amy Keigwin On Being A Women In Tech And Her Past Intern Experience

Our next Women’s History Month worker spotlight is Amy Keigwin! Keigwin is a second-year Computer and Digital Forensics major from Franklin, Massachusetts. She is currently working on the SOC Tier 1 project and has been an Intern in Research in the past for the Leahy Center. Her other experiences outside of the Leahy Center include being a Conference Intern for the MAVA Connection for Success Conference, and a Data Entry Intern for CTS Services.

What made you choose to major within the information technology field?

I have always been interested in computers and technology from a very young age, so when I went to a vocational high school, that desire to learn computer science just intensified, and led me to pick an area, cybersecurity, and my specific degree.

What was your first experience with technology?

My first experience with technology was as a child using my family’s PC to play flash games, card games, and make drawings for my parents in MS Paint.

Are there any females in tech that you look up to?

Not really. My role models are usually my teachers, especially my high school networking and programming teacher. She worked really hard to make sure that all of her students understood the content, and was a big advocate for me and the other women in my class, always encouraging us to apply for scholarships, certifications, and awards. I was even nominated to go to a few conferences because of her!

What are the pros and cons of being a woman in tech?

A few pros of being a woman in tech are that my opinions about a certain task are taken seriously and that I am generally more marketable to companies, so finding a job isn’t as difficult. A few cons are that I am generally one of, if not the only, woman on my team, and it can be harder to integrate myself into a team that is male-dominated, especially if interests are not shared.

Is it daunting to be working in a male-dominated field?

It can definitely be daunting working in a male-dominated field, especially when I am the newcomer and the team I am joining is already well-established. However, I find that time can lessen a lot of that distance, and knowing a few people from classes before joining my team at the Leahy Center helped make things easier.

What advice would you give to younger women who are interested in getting into the tech field?

Develop a backbone, and learn to stand up for yourself. You’re going to encounter adversaries from colleagues and bosses alike, and learning to say “no” is an incredibly valuable skill. Along the same line, make contacts with people in different departments and learn the people in HR. Having a good reputation keeps your integrity from being as heavily questioned, and makes you a more valuable employee.

Why is it important to have women in the tech field?

I think it’s really important to have women in the tech field not only for the bridging of gender equality but also just for the fact that people have different perspectives based on life experiences. I think women stand to bring a lot of ideas and experience into any field, particularly the tech field, where being innovative is the name of the game. There’s also just the simple fact of giving young girls more female role models to help motivate them into going into fields they may have not previously considered because it doesn’t follow gender stereotypes.

What would you like to achieve in the tech field in the future?

Right now, I want to be a digital forensics examiner working in the public sector. As such, providing evidence to a court and that being integral to a conviction is something I want to achieve. Aside from that, just raising more awareness about women in tech is a goal I would like to work towards, especially if that means I get to work with organizations where I have participated in their competitions, like CyberPatriot.

STAY UP TO DATE WITH TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, AND LINKEDIN SO YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHAT WE’RE UP TO!

The post Amy Keigwin On Being A Women In Tech And Her Past Intern Experience appeared first on The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity.

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10 Podcasts To Tune Into This Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month, and to celebrate we wanted to highlight some wonderful podcasts for you to listen to. They are all hosted by incredible women who have important and thought-provoking ideas on subjects ranging from crypto and blockchain technology to deep-diving into the fascinating aspects of different female characters in history. Give some of them a listen, and continue to build your podcast list with more inspiring women!

The Females in Tech Show is hosted by Tamara Hohanna, founder of the FIIT Collective, whose mission is to provide women the tools to have successful careers in tech. The podcast covers topics for women or tech or those considering a career in tech, through career advice and personal stories from those within the industry. The podcast also focuses on the wellbeing of women in tech, balancing work with family and relationships, and practicing self-care for a successful career in IT.

The History Chicks is hosted by Beckett Graham and Susan Vollenwider. The podcast introduces listeners to different factual and fictional females in history, delving into a single person for each hour-long episode. Graham and Vollenwider discuss all the parts of their subject’s life that they find interesting, such as failures, challenges, and successes that they faced in their life.

Women In Tech Podcast is hosted by Espree Devora, creator of WeAreLATech, an organization helping connect individuals in Los Angeles who are interested in tech. The podcast features women working in various areas of the tech industry, such as investors, engineers, UX and UI designers, founders, and more. The goal of each show is to empower the listener, and make them feel that “If she can do it, so can I.”

GetWITit is hosted by Elizabeth Tolia, who is currently the President of the National Board of Directors for the GetWITit non-profit organization. The podcast (and the organization itself) focuses on the decline of women working in the technology industry and acts to help promote awareness of this issue. They also strive to help create opportunities for women to transition into tech roles and prepare women for leadership. Each week they interview members of the tech community to discuss and explore these issues.

Unchained is hosted by Laura Shin, a crypto and blockchain journalist, who formerly worked as a senior editor for Forbes. The podcast is described as “your no-hype resource for all things crypto,” focusing on how crypto assets and blockchain technology are going to change our lives and change the ways in which we interact with our money. Shin studies this through interviews and discussions with industry pioneers every week.

Stuff Mom Never Told You is hosted by Anney Reese and Samantha McVey. The podcast discusses feminism and the ways in which it impacts our daily lives. They explore what it means and what it is like to identify as a woman and examine this every week through episodes that are released on Wednesday and Friday.

Women Tech Charge is hosted by Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon, the CEO of STEMettes, an organization dedicated to inspiring the next generation of females and nonbinary people into STEM fields. The podcast focuses on women who are transforming our lives through technology with honest and inspiring conversations. They tell the stories of their successes, failures, passions, and ideas to help motivate the listener to take charge.

Brave, Not Perfect is hosted by Reshma Saujani, the CEO of Girls Who Code, a non-profit dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology. The podcast focuses on changing our approach to life, and inspiring listeners to leave perfectionism behind. As Saujani explains, “we’re tired, we’re stuck, and we’re so afraid of failure that we don’t take any risks.” She urges listeners to choose bravery to lead their life through discussions with changemakers who have chosen the path of courage over perfection.

Diva Tech Talk is hosted by Nicole Johnson Scheffler and Kathleen Norton-Schock. The podcast focuses on highlighting women who are doing great things in the world of technology and emphasizing the strong value that women bring to the field. It was created to help inspire women to succeed in any area of technology, whether it be for their professional life, or for personal missions.

Witty (Women in Tech Talk to Yasmin) is hosted by Yasmin Alameddine. The podcast was created to go against repeating the problem that women are at a disadvantage in tech and instead highlighting the intelligent, hilarious, outgoing, and talented women who were successfully making their way through the industry. She has fun and honest conversations with her guests about their exposure to the industry, the challenges they face, and their thoughts about the ways in which the tech industry is changing.

The post 10 Podcasts To Tune Into This Women’s History Month appeared first on The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity.